


A Summary of Events

by Sarah531



Category: Thunderbirds, thunderbirds are go
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 16:48:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5098001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarah531/pseuds/Sarah531
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is best described as ‘a look at how IR might function in the real world’ except obviously it’s not quite the real world because it’s several decades in the future and also after a war. I also hope it’s not Dark And Gritty, but rather Pointed And Vaguely Satirical.</p><p>Also features a fair amount of fourth-wall breaking.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

YEAR: 2070  
DATE: 28 JULY

_This summary of recent events has been put together as a voting aid. It is based on your social media activity, your browser history and your work profile._

 

*

 

**From the Global News Web:**

Amid growing fears re: sustainability and the protection of borders, the Global Defense Force is holding a televised, livestreamed hearing about the recent activities of International Rescue. Viewers can tune in on IBC, ITV, Sky, and Fox News to participate in the hearing, and voters who press the red button will be able to answer short opinion polls and questions via their TV. Select Tweets may also be read out.

As per standard policy, names of the GDF councilpeople shall not be given and faces shall be obscured via hologram in the courtroom. Colonel Francesca Casey shall not be attending any proceedings, as she has voiced her displeasure at this turn of events and has been placed on indefinite leave…

*

**From the Daily Mail Express:**

No-one can doubt the good work that International Rescue do, and Jeff and Lucille Tracy were instrumental in restoring sanity to our world during and after the Great Conflict. Yet the fact still remains that their pilots are fallible and their activities are poorly regulated. Take, for example, the events of the 20th June, when three hundred refugees were plucked from their sinking ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and transported to hospitals throughout America. A kind gesture, but who is picking up the bill for these people? Who is sending them back where they come from? International Rescue should not be providing blatant _handouts_ …

*

**Transcript of hearing, part one:**

PROSECUTION: The prosecution calls Mr Tracy to the stand.

[All five men instantly stand up]

PROSECUTION: Mr _John_ Tracy.

[JOHN TRACY takes the stand. He’s clearly ill at ease, although his brothers appear to be mouthing encouragement at him]

PROSECUTION: What is your official job title, Mr Tracy?

JOHN TRACY: Space Command Communications and Dispatcher for IR, sir.

PROSECUTION: Would it be fair to say that prior to the events under discussion, International Rescue specialised exclusively in natural or technological disasters?

JOHN TRACY: We specialise exclusively in rescues, sir.

PROSECUTION: Even when your… _rescuees_ have deliberately put themselves in danger, and are specifically counting on International Rescue to absolve them of responsibility? Or to arrange care for them in a country not their own, where they will be nothing but a heavy burden for the taxpayer?

JOHN TRACY: If people require medical care, we take them to the nearest IR-accredited hospital. That’s a system that’s been in place for ages, and the UN-

PROSECUTION: But you don’t follow up on these people afterwards. If, say, a sinking boat of two hundred refugees is picked up in the Pacific and delivered safely to New Zealand, those two hundred could be left to roam unchecked throughout the whole country, taking up resources that are already scarce in that part of the world.

JOHN TRACY: ‘Roam unchecked’…they’re not cows, sir.

PROSECUTION: Did I say they were cows?

JOHN TRACY: No, sir.

PROSECUTION: This is a serious problem, made even more serious by the fact that it’s only _just now_ come to public attention, wouldn’t you agree?

JOHN TRACY: The people of the GDR…

PROSECUTION: Are, likewise, apparently totally unaware of the scale of the problem.

JOHN TRACY: This has nothing _at all_ to do with the people we saved from that boat.

PROSECUTION: Except that it does. It highlights the culture of irresponsibility that you, your family and your extremely wealthy friends have allowed to foster.

[Alan Tracy opens his mouth to speak; gets as far as an “F-” before his eldest brother clamps a hand over his mouth.]

PROSECUTION: If I may, I want to demonstrate to this court just how far the irresponsibility goes. I have here a small sample - very small! - of medical records.

[General mutterings of unease]

PROSECUTION: Here’s yours, John Tracy. Apparently, according to this, you were diagnosed with serious depression while you were studying at Harvard? So serious that your father checked you into a medical facility?

[General murmurs of surprise, punctuated by:]

SCOTT TRACY: Oh, _fuck_ you!

*

**Tweets from the scene:**

donald_r: lol does he kiss his mother with that mouth

donald_r: wait nevermind

donald_r: #imabadperson

*

**Transcript of hearing, part two:**

[General consternation in courtroom]

PROSECUTION: I’m sure you’d be thrilled with such a person being your child’s school bus driver. Yet this man sits behind the controls of what is, essentially, an outer-space bomb…

ALAN TRACY: Hey! Hey, jackass! Why don’t you ask about the actual bombs we’ve _removed_ from outer space-

PROSECUTION: [pressing the button to mute all noise in the defendant box] My point, ladies and gentlemen, is that IR has no vetting process whatsoever. It’s an organisation founded on reckless spending and outright nepotism, rather than adherence to the law. They’re essentially circumventing hundreds of immigration laws that were put in place for good reason, and answering to absolutely no-one when there are very serious concerns about their behaviour!

[John Tracy has been sitting with his arms crossed]

JOHN TRACY: Okay. Basically what you’re saying, is that we should have just let those people drown because no-one wanted them.

PROSECUTION: Of course that’s not what I’m saying. That’s not what anyone here is saying. We’re here to examine questions regarding regulation and sustainability. This isn’t a trial.

JOHN TRACY: It feels like one, and I’m really not interested in answering any more questions.

PROSECUTION: Just as well, because my time with you is, thankfully, at an end. Ladies and gentlemen, a recess.

*

**From irfans.thenewtumblr.com**

There’s no doubt that this is serious business, but the opposition are aiming _low_. It’s a heartbreaking scene and I think a great many of us wish we were in a position to do something about it. Other than voting via the TV and online, of course, which I'm assuming you're all doing. The final vote is set for tomorrow.

I’m told a protest has also been organised for tomorrow, outside the GDF European HQ where the hearing is being held, more information as we get it…

*

**Tweets from the scene:**

penelopecreightonward: It is thoroughly unethical to use someone’s mental illness against them

penelopecreightonward: John is one of the best people I know. You couldn’t find anyone more dedicated

penelopecreightonward: And I am disgusted & disappointed at this turn of events

*

**From irfans-unofficial.thenewtumblr.com**

Are you watching this? ARE YOU WATCHING THIS? It’s a good thing I can’t see that guy’s face or I would FIND him and GO TO HIS HOUSE and BURN IT DOWN WITH HIM STILL INSIDE IT!!!!!!

*

**Transcript of hearing, part three:**

PROSECUTION: One more interview, then I hand you over to the defense. I feel that I should tell you that while Tweets have largely been in IR’s favour, there are a few influential voices of reason. Governor Desmond Saunders suggests that as Americans, your primary loyalties should be to the American government -

[Mutterings but nothing decipherable]

\- whilst UK deputy PM Brian Burgess wishes to make it known he feels that you would save a lot more lives if you released the blueprints for your machines and allowed others to use them.

VIRGIL TRACY: The machines you just said were essentially bombs?

PROSECUTION: [hitting the mute button once more] Ladies and gentlemen, my next interviewee is rarely seen in public. She’s a fiercely private person, but as always there’s a good reason for that. Ms Kyrano, would you take the stand, please.

[There is at least one angry but muted yell from the defendant box. Tanusha Kyrano takes the stand.]

PROSECUTION: Some difficult questions may be asked in this hearing.

TANUSHA KYRANO: Yes, I noticed. Thank you for your part in publicly humiliating one of my dearest friends.

PROSECUTION: It’s my job. I’m taking no more pleasure in this than you are. And in truth you _should_ be thanking me - had your family history gotten out in a less reputable arena than this, you’d be vilified by the media.

TANUSHA KYRANO: I see.

PROSECUTION: Shall we talk about your uncle?

TANUSHA KYRANO: I don’t have much choice in the matter.

*


	2. Chapter 2

**From the Daily Mail Express:**

Tanusha Kyrano has always been a very enigmatic figure. Though she is head of security for IR she’s rarely seen with them at public functions. However, she _is_ a close friend of Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward, and was seen with her at the film premiere of _Doctor Who: The Movie,_ in which Creighton-Ward had a small role.

—–Click HERE to see 15 of Lady P’s greatest fashion fails!—–

Rumour has it that Ms Kyrano comes from an extremely problematic family, some of whom have links to terrorist groups. Why she was considered a suitable candidate for a job involving world security is a question that IR very much should be asking themselves right now. 

A candid shot of her entering a mosque in 2055 indicates that she is also a Muslim…

*

**Transcript of hearing, part four:**

PROSECUTION: Is it true, Ms Kyrano, that your biological uncle is the international terrorist known as “The Hood”?

TANUSHA KYRANO: You know it’s true, or you wouldn’t be asking it here in front of the whole world.

PROSECUTION: I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. Do you not think there might be a _minor_ conflict of interest there?

TANUSHA KYRANO: We have nothing in common except blood. _Nothing_. I want to bring him down even more than - than most people do, because -

PROSECUTION: Because he killed your father, correct?

[A few gasps from the audience. Alan Tracy is mouthing something from the defendant box, but the sound is still muted.]

TANUSHA KYRANO: It’s not really a secret. Yes, he killed my father. My mother died of an illness while we were escaping to America. And everyone knows it was him who killed Jeff Tracy too. [Quietly] I’m down three parents because of him.

PROSECUTION: Scott Tracy! We need you on the stand as well now.

[Scott Tracy has been lost in thought until this point, but he leaves the defendant box and takes the stand. He also squeezes Tanusha Kyrano’s hand.]

PROSECUTION: You are, essentially, head and CEO of International Rescue. Ever since your father’s death you’ve had the job. Why employ this woman?

SCOTT TRACY: Can you give me one good reason why _not_?

PROSECUTION: She’s the niece of the world’s most famous terrorist, her background is very vague, and - oh! - she’s been romantically linked with one of your brothers. Interesting, that.

SCOTT TRACY: So she’s better positioned than anyone else in the world to get inside the head of the world’s most famous terrorist, she’s successfully kept her life private from the media which is exactly what you need from a security agent, and her greatest loyalty is to our organization and the people within it. That’s what you’re saying, I assume?

PROSECUTION: No. But well done.

[Even with the mute button on, cheering can just about be heard from inside the defendant box.]

PROSECUTION: Cutting right to the point now - she came to you as a refugee. So did some of your other employees. Isn’t this what clouds your judgement when it comes to…the shifting around of illegal immigrants? ‘Accidentally’ sometimes putting people pulled from boats into better situations than they come from, at a great cost to the taxpayer? 

SCOTT TRACY: You’re complaining that we rescued people and…helped them?

PROSECUTION: I’m saying that you’ve been playing _very_ fast and loose with immigration laws, and that it’s costing all Western economies dearly. Let’s see, some recent headlines: “Migrant numbers at crisis point”, “Thousands of illegal workers claiming benefits”, “Illegals have landed” “Migrants send our crime rate soaring”. Doesn’t this all sound rather bad to you?

SCOTT TRACY: Sir…

TANUSHA KYRANO: [suddenly] Don’t call him ‘sir’!

PROSECUTION: Have you got anything else to say, Miss Kyrano?

TANUSHA KYRANO: Yes, actually. My country was devastated during the war. Even today it’s barely even…there. I said my mother died of an illness, well, that illness was probably caused by germ warfare. If we had stayed, we’d have died. I didn’t stay and now I’m alive. And you’re angry because the world has more people like me in it? More people like my parents? You’re disgusting!

PROSECUTION: I’d like to call for a recess.

*

**Tweets from the scene:**

penelopecreightonward: I commend my friend for speaking so passionately on this subject

penelopecreightonward: I would also like to remind everyone not to buy the Daily Mail Express.

*

**From the official blog of Gordon Tracy:**

HEY PEOPLE! I’m allowed to update this blog during the recess! Someone FINALLY gave me the Wi-Fi password!

I’m so PISSED OFF you wouldn’t believe it. I heard people are organising a protest for tomorrow? Cool. Sorry I can’t be there but I’m stuck HERE. 

Thanks for all your comments buddies. Just so u know, YES Tanusha is off the market. She is dating Alan and she also wants me to relay that she’s not here to be objectified. I however AM here to be objectified so don’t forget to check out my Instagram. Oh and ladies, Virgil has a boyfriend. Sorry.

See you all on the other side

*

**Tweets from the scene:**

UK_GOVT_OFFICIAL: We have already made our feelings clear re use of the Thunderbirds. However we are happy to open more dialogue with Lady Creighton-Ward

nosey_somebody: Not good with this modern tech, but want to send my luv 2 ms kayo and the boys

dailymailexpress: Why isn’t he taking this seriously!? Gordon Tracy uses blog to chat to FANS in the midst of IR hearing

penelopecreightonward: @ nosey_somebody you literally drive a flying car

*

**Transcript of hearing, part five:**

PROSECUTION: What did your mother do for a living, Scott?

SCOTT TRACY: She was a human rights lawyer.

PROSECUTION: Yes, your parents were quite the power couple. We’ll be hearing more about them soon, too.

VIRGIL TRACY [from the now unmuted box]: Why, what sort of dirt have you got on _them_? Don’t tell me, Mom was a ninja assassin. Dad was a founding member of Tenties pop sensation One Direction. They were both aliens! Both huge spider aliens! One of them was Lord Voldemort! _Stop keeping us in suspense!_

PROSECUTION: Very funny. This button is working overtime today.

[Mute button is once again pressed.]

PROSECUTION: Right, let’s take a step back in time, shall we? Back to the Great Global War.


	3. Chapter 3

**From reddit - Virgil Tracy AMA:**

_mrsantiago:_ who’s the most important woman in your life?

 _Virgil_Tracy:_ Of the ones still living, my grandmother.

 _boobsfartboobs:_ r you gay

 _Virgil_Tracy:_ yes

 _angryballoon:_ Why do you do what you do? Essentially, you put yourself into very dangerous situations for little reward and (here’s the kicker) no pay. Why? Is it for thrills? What’s the attraction?

 _Virgil_Tracy:_ Money never comes into the equation, for any of us. Dad and Mom’s fortunes combined gave us enough money to keep the Thunderbirds flying for a good few more decades at least. And we do get money from other sources, including donations sometimes. That being said, there’s less than you’d think. For example, most of Tracy Island is currently unlivable due to unsteady ground, snakes, scorpions etc. Ideally we’d be able to build low-cost housing or something there, but there just isn’t enough money to cover so much land.

As for why we do it, because, short answer: we have a responsibility. All of us were born into more money than most people will see in their lifetimes. We had to do something with it that would help the world rather than hinder. I know that that’s what Dad said during the war. And I think that even if Mom hadn’t died in the way she did we’d be doing this.

 _deathgunz1:_ did you know your name sounds like ‘virgin’

 _Virgil_Tracy:_ I did

*

**Transcript of hearing, part six:**

PROSECUTION: The Great Global War took its toll on the world, it’s fair to say. And without Jeff Tracy’s technology more might have suffered. Do you all agree with that, audience? I think we do.  Press your buttons to vote if you wish.

[Result: YES]

PROSECUTION: And _yet_ , as many of our world leaders have stated, _keeping_ such technology in the hands of such a small, untrustworthy group of people - one of whom is, I remind you again, related to a terrorist - is a deeply, pardon my language, _stupid_ move.

SCOTT TRACY: But the GDF don’t think so.

PROSECUTION: The outcome of this hearing may strongly affect your relationship with the GDF.

SCOTT TRACY: Yes, all right. But before we go on I really need to remind everyone, including you, that the Thunderbirds are legally our property, and you really can’t force us to give them up.

PROSECUTION: We’ll see.

*

**From irfans.thenewtumblr.com**

We don’t know who the Prosecution is and we will probably never know, but he’s revolting. The worst kind of puppet.

*

**From irfans-unofficial.thenewtumblr.com**

let’s distract ourselfs w/ pre-war memes. of the five tracys, which one do you think is most likely to be a cinnamon roll?

comment from baconlover12: what’s a cinnamon roll?  
      reply from irfans-unofficial: I don’t know

*

**Tweets from the scene:**

brainsoftheoperation: This is a reminder to everyone that the technology used to create the Thunderbirds

brainsoftheoperation: is is fact available via negotiation to all, including governments

brainsoftheoperation: but what every comer has lacked so far IS

brainsoftheoperation: a) pilots willing to give up their social lives and commit virtually every waking hour to command the ships

brainsoftheoperation: b) a good enough network of skilled and trustworthy agents

brainsoftheoperation: c) THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE a guarantee that they will never be used as weapons of war

brainsoftheoperation: and d) a cool enough space station

*

**Transcript of hearing, part seven:**

[JOHN TRACY is back on the stand]

PROSECUTION: Who’s manning Thunderbird 5 whilst you’re here, John?

JOHN TRACY: It can be commanded unmanned with EOS - I mean, the EOS program. 

PROSECUTION: A completely untested AI. Good to know.

JOHN TRACY: And my grandmother and our chief engineer are co-ordinating everything else. You know, since we’re stuck here answering stupid questions and all.

PROSECUTION: It hasn’t occurred to you that other, _government-funded_ organizations would be able to step in should a world-changing disaster occur in the next hour or so? Ones that actually follow orders and support the needs of the taxpayers, I might add?

JOHN TRACY: Are you going to make a point here?

PROSECUTION: I’m going to make a point to the entire world. Ladies and gentlemen, society has improved. It has improved incalculably, since the war. We are a smarter people now. But to _keep_ a better world, we need to be very careful that no one person - or group of people in this case - puts themselves above everyone else. In other words, no-one should be bending the law. And _especially_ no-one with machines capable of wiping out whole cities should be bending the law. That’s common sense. It doesn’t matter if you think the laws are unjust. 

JOHN TRACY: Am I going to get to speak-?

PROSECUTION: Does anyone remember the California housing protests in 2055? Audiences, do you? Let me know.

[Result: NO]

PROSECUTION: Exactly, it was an event that passed almost entirely under the radar. But video footage and photographs prove it - Thunderbird 4 _mysteriously_ rising from the ocean and dispensing hundreds of first aid kits, food packs and sleeping bags. 

ALAN TRACY: [from the defendant box, loudly] That was a fun day, wasn’t it, Gordon?

GORDON TRACY: It was an _extremely_ fun day.

PROSECUTION: So - this goes out to all of you - why involve yourself in that dispute?

SCOTT TRACY: Because the government was letting them down.

PROSECUTION: You five have stated yourselves that your job is to rescue people. Not to-

ALAN TRACY: - _help_ them?

PROSECUTION: In the bluntest terms, yes. There are some things you _should not get_ involved in as a private organization. And among them are: immigration, protests, the toilet paper shortage of 2059….

GORDON TRACY: Ooh, that was another fun one.

PROSECUTION: And anything else where inaction wouldn’t _immediately_ result in loss of life.

SCOTT TRACY: Immediately has nothing to do with it. That protest in California, all of those people were sleeping on the streets during a very cold winter. Say we hadn’t turned up and given out so many supplies. Maybe, due to help from other sources, all but…I don’t know, four or five of them would have survived the winter. But that’s four or five too many deaths!

PROSECUTION: It’s not your responsibility!

SCOTT TRACY: Of course it’s our responsibility.

ALAN TRACY: Because, _with great power comes great responsibility._ [Everyone looks at him]. That’s from Spider-Man.

VIRGIL TRACY: We all know that, Alan.

PROSECUTION: Alright, let’s run with the power thing, shall we? You’ve all said it to the media more than once throughout your lives: you own and control some of most powerful machines on the planet. No one group should ever, ever be given access to that much power. Isn’t that how the war started? A mass sense of other people hogging all the power? Of inequality?

SCOTT TRACY: Inequality such as…having to flee your poverty-stricken hometown on a sinking boat, for example?

PROSECUTION: Let’s turn to the US Constitution, shall we? It’s gone but it’s most certainly not forgotten. It states that all men - all people - are created equal. Do you agree, Tracys? Are all men created equal?

[Looks between them, then:]

JOHN TRACY: Of _course_ not.

PROSECUTION: Oh?

JOHN TRACY: I don’t know about creation but of course we’re not remotely equal. We weren’t before the war and we’re still not now. Hundreds of tiny things - location, brain chemistry, skin colour, what side of a government decision you’re on - they can all make the difference between living and dying. That’s not equal. Which is why it’s so important that we _treat everyone equally_ , by doing everything possible and then some to make sure they actually stay alive, no matter who they are or what they’re doing or where they came from.

[Cheering. Lots of it.]

PROSECUTION: That’s a very impassioned speech. Congratulations.

[John goes to hug his brothers. Tanusha Kyrano has gone to join them too. Assorted security guards attempt to calm everybody down.]

PROSECUTION: But I think the time for making impassioned speeches has come to an end now. Audiences across the world - we’ve reached the end of this hearing. Time to vote! Based on what we’ve heard here today, should this…merry band of leftovers, fools and misfits get to keep the weapons of mass destruction known as the Thunderbirds? Really, should they? Remember everything I’ve said to you about responsibility.

*

_You have now reached the end of our summary of events. You MUST be signed into your social media account to vote on this matter._

_Please take the time to re-familiarize yourself with the matter at hand if you need to, and cast your vote below._

_Should the Tracy family and their associates be allowed to keep the Thunderbirds?  
_

 

_**YES                    NO**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Just some notes:
> 
> All names in this that you don’t recognise were grabbed from random writers/directors of the original series, sorry to those who got their names given to complete arseholes;
> 
> The Daily Mail Express is a spoof of British tabloids The Daily Mail and the Express, neither of whom I'm gonna link to;
> 
> The line "I’m sure you’d be thrilled with such a person being your child’s school bus driver" was something I really heard re: depression in the wake of the Germanwings incident;
> 
> And all the headlines mentioned in chapter two are real headlines from real newspapers.


End file.
